4 Best Hotels in Los Angeles, California

Fronted by the historic Horseshoe Garden, this 1907 grande dame spans 23 acres and includes an Italianate-style main building, Spanish Revival cottages, a lanai, an azalea-filled Japanese garden, and several dining options. Traditional guest rooms are handsome. Brocade fabrics are found throughout, as are flat-screen TVs and CD players. Restaurants include the contemporary Cal-French restaurant Royce, with a glass-walled wine room and showy chef's table, and California bistro, The Terrace. The Tap Room hosts Thursday night jazz, and other live music on weekends. The Chuan Spa, L.A.'s skin-technology destination du jour, features treatments derived from Chinese medicine and chemistry labs around the globe.

Two blocks south of busy Colorado Boulevard, the Hilton Pasadena is still within walking distance of the city's vast convention center and close to Old Town's boundless options for shopping and dining. A light and airy sandstone lobby says California casual, as do the rooms done in soft beige and browns, complete with pillowy beds. Business travelers appreciate the chaise lounge with a movable desk to work from the chaise or standard desk area. Expect the typical technological gadgetry: flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and plenty of outlets for devices. The rooms with balconies are best.

A convivial lobby and smartly designed rooms set this Kimpton-managed hotel apart from other chains; because of its proximity to UCLA, the Palomar is perfect for friends and families of students. An ergonomic work chair and desk space plus a 24-hour business center aid efficiency; the on-demand yoga (plus a yoga mat in each room!), as well as meditation and Pilates channels promote relaxation. Recycling bins and eco-conscious practices abound. Complimentary coffee and tea in the morning, and a nightly wine hour bring guests together. Pets get pampered for free.

Retreat to this quiet and artful oasis steps from UCLA, where you can find a cabana-lined pool and sleek lounge, two on-site restaurants with regional cuisine, and a spa that serves brownies and champagne post-massage. This all-suites hotel aims to bring the outdoors in, with mirrors depicting gown-wearing models submerged in the sea, photos of L.A. traffic, and fog-hued interiors. All suites are sizable, and bigger suites include offices and sitting areas. The fern and palm tree-hugged pool area is the place to be on Sunday in summer, when free pool parties lure the young and beautiful locals to line up for free yoga, followed by fruity cocktails.